Persistent antisocial behaviour sees tenant banned from home

20 Dec 2022

Residents living close to a Haverhill address have been given some respite from persistent antisocial behaviour which has been blighting their lives.

Following work with Suffolk Police and Havebury Housing Partnership, West Suffolk Council has successfully applied for a closure order for an address in Parkside.

The closure order bans the tenant and anyone else other than employees and contractors of Havebury, from entering the property for an initial period of three months. Anyone else found to be entering, could be jailed for up to six months or receive an unlimited fine for being in breach of the order.

The order, under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, was granted at a hearing at Ipswich Magistrates Court on Wednesday (14). Although the order is initially for three months, the council can apply for an extension for a further three months if it is felt it is required.

Cllr Robert Everitt, Cabinet Member for Families and Communities at West Suffolk Council, said: “Living next door or near to an address where there is persistent antisocial behaviour can have a serious and damaging impact on residents’ health and wellbeing. It can lead to residents living in a state of fear with heightened stress and anxiety.

"Seeking a court order to remove a tenant from their home isn’t a step that we take lightly. But when other interventions fail, it is a measure that we and our partners are prepared to take on behalf of our residents and it should give them some respite, relief and hope as we move into Christmas and the New Year.”

Amy St Ledger, assistant director of customer and housing services at Havebury, said: “This order demonstrates our commitment to deal robustly with anti-social behaviour that impacts on the lives of our residents. We will take action against residents who breach the terms of their tenancy agreement, and work closely with the police and other partners to support our communities so they can live peacefully in their homes.”

Police Inspector for Sudbury and Haverhill, Ben Hollands, said: “It is through close partnership working with West Suffolk Council and Havebury Housing that we have been able to secure the closure of this property in Parkside, following numerous reports of antisocial behaviour and drugs activity.

“When such activity is continuous at a property, it can impact the quality of lives for those living in the area. We hope this closure order will reassure the public that we are listening, and we will take appropriate action where necessary.

“We will continue to work together with our partners to robustly tackle the issues which affect our communities the most and urge members of the public to report matters of concern so we can respond effectively. We have a dedicated page on our website to make that as easy as possible: https://www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/report-something/6-report-anti-social-behaviour.”

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